Microsoft distributes Microsoft SQL Server 2008 fixes as one downloadable file. Because the fixes are cumulative, each new release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2008 fix release.

Symptoms

You may receive the following error message when you run a MERGE statement in Microsoft SQL Server 2008:

Msg 8672, Level 16, State 1, Line 1The MERGE statement attempted to UPDATE or DELETE the same row more than once. This happens when a target row matches more than one source row. A MERGE statement cannot UPDATE/DELETE the same row of the target table multiple times. Refine the ON clause to ensure a target row matches at most one source row, or use the GROUP BY clause to group the source rows.

Note You may still receive this error message when no duplicate rows are caused by the join operation.

Resolution

The fix for this issue was first released in Cumulative Update 6 for SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1. For more information about this cumulative update package, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

977443 Cumulative update package 6 for SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1Note Because the builds are cumulative, each new fix release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2008 fix release. We recommend that you consider applying the most recent fix release that contains this hotfix. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

970365 The SQL Server 2008 builds that were released after SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1 was releasedMicrosoft SQL Server 2008 hotfixes are created for specific SQL Server service packs. You must apply a SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1 hotfix to an installation of SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1. By default, any hotfix that is provided in a SQL Server service pack is included in the next SQL Server service pack.

Status

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

References

For more information about the Incremental Servicing Model for SQL Server, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

935897 An Incremental Servicing Model is available from the SQL Server team to deliver hotfixes for reported problemsFor more information about the naming schema for SQL Server updates, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

822499New naming schema for Microsoft SQL Server software update packagesFor more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

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